At the white marble dining table, Mona had already taken off her witch's hat.
Her twin-tails hung naturally, the black ribbons fluttering lightly in the breeze. With a little of the witch's mystery gone, she somehow looked even cuter.
"Mona, you eat slowly here—Klee's going back to do more dubbing!"
Little Klee's sense of responsibility was off the charts.
She wanted to finish dubbing as soon as possible, so she could play on Blue Star without a care.
Klee hopped away, and Mona rested both hands on her lap. Her light-green eyes were like spring grass as she looked at Ken expectantly.
"Calla Lily Seafood Soup okay?"
Staring at the reheated soup, Ken asked symbolically.
"Salad… salad is fine. Don't trouble yourself."
Catching the aroma of seafood, Mona quietly swallowed.
It smelled so delicious, but it must be expensive.
And with how hungry she was now… even salad would be a delicacy.
Hearing that, Ken glanced back at Mona. Seeing how pale and frail she looked, he suddenly understood why this witch's figure was different from other witches.
Most likely: hunger.
Going hungry during girlhood is a huge no-no!
"We don't have salad at home—only Calla Lily Seafood Soup. Miss Mona, please make do."
Ken set two bowls of soup on the table.
Mona, who had just been trying to politely refuse, caught the smell at close range, and her stomach immediately growled.
She instinctively pressed a hand to her tummy, a blush rising on her cheeks.
Heaven knows a great astrologer could be so embarrassed… all because she didn't have money.
"Mmm…"
Scooping up a big spoonful, Mona couldn't wait to put it in her mouth.
The tender, floral freshness made her narrow her eyes on the spot.
But before she could savor it, her mouth was already sending it down her throat.
She was just too hungry.
Not until the second bowl did Mona slow down a little, tasting as she went. The way the seafood and calla lily intertwined in her mouth, the explosively good texture, even made her little feet wrapped in black stockings curl slightly.
So good it made her tremble!
"When did you come to Mondstadt?"
Seeing Mona about finished, Ken asked.
If he remembered right, in the game Mona only arrived after the Traveler did.
Now that time seemed out of order, he wanted to gauge how far off things were.
"About two months ago."
Mona blinked. She didn't know why Ken was asking, but since she owed him, she answered honestly.
"Two months ago, huh…"
Ken rubbed his chin, a little unsure.
Some things are like the butterfly effect.
That one night with Alice that resulted in Klee was like a butterfly flapping its wings—and might stir up a storm across Teyvat, throwing timelines off.
As long as the main story line doesn't get scrambled, it's fine.
If even the main plot is badly derailed, the data he gave the Knights of Favonius might end up not meaning much.
"Thank you for the favor—thank you for saving me. Is there anything you need an astrologer to do? As long as it's within my power."
Mona hadn't eaten this full in a long time.
So this is what being full feels like… She rubbed her belly and looked earnestly at Ken.
Passing out in Whispering Woods was indeed dangerous.
Thankfully, Ken used that door to bring her here.
"Help me with some dubbing? Just like Klee and Barbara—really simple."
Ken took a bottle of coconut milk from the fridge and handed it to Mona.
He hoped she could drink it as she grew up.
"Of course."
Mona agreed without even thinking. A bit awkward to admit, but if she could do the dubbing here and snag meals while she was at it, it was hard to refuse.
Otherwise, she'd be back to picking wild mushrooms outside Mondstadt.
After agreeing, Mona looked at the coconut milk and sighed, "This kind of packaging is rare—light and not easy to break. If only Mondstadt had it too."
Teyvat isn't behind by much—lots of things exist there too.
But since development took different directions, their craft and packaging lag a bit.
For example, the compressed biscuits adventurers carry in Mondstadt are light and practical, but their shelf life is too short.
Hearing that, Ken thought of a system reward he'd drawn.
"If Mondstadt wants it, that's not impossible."
An idea took shape in Ken's mind. He raised a brow and asked, "Miss Mona, interested in working with me? I'm opening a specialties shop in Mondstadt and would like to hire you as the proprietor."
He now had a magic chest and a Mondstadt shop deed.
Opening a specialties store in Mondstadt would be simple.
What he lacked was a suitable shopkeeper.
He did know Klee, Barbara, and Lisa, but Klee was too young; Barbara and Lisa had their own duties and little time for management.
Mona was different.
She was devoted to astrology—but she was even more lacking in money, and her time was relatively free.
Most importantly—
This would instantly build a bond with Mona. A little witch in one-piece black stockings like Mona is hard to resist.
"Hire me… hire me as the shopkeeper?"
Mona lifted her head, surprise sparkling in her light-green eyes.
"That's right. We can use the Vortex Gate to source goods on Blue Star and move them to Mondstadt, then sell them in Mondstadt."
"I already have a shop in Mondstadt and need a manager to run it."
"If you're willing, I'll pay you 100,000 Mora a month."
Seeing her interest, Ken went straight for the temptation.
Getting these characters to work obediently calls for different methods.
For Mona, this was the best way.
…
…
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